The Garreg Mach Academy of Musicraft
by MelanieDanger
Summary: Byleth, renowned virtuoso and daughter of a legendary composer, becomes a teacher at the Garreg Mach Academy of Musicraft—where promising young musicians hope to create magic from music. (Pre-Time Skip Spoilers / Golden Deer Route / Magic Band AU)


**— Prologue****: Ode to Joy —**

* * *

With his back straight and one foot slightly forward, Claude placed the violin on his collarbone. Blinding sunlight bounced off the glossy wood, flashing in his eyes, and he calmed himself with a deep breath. As the violin rose and fell with his chest, he looked up.

Using a _levitation_ spell on any living thing was a challenge. Especially on a nimble Burmese cat that sat nearly twenty-feet high in a tree.

That's why he began playing a simple piece—_Ode to Joy_. Written a long time ago in a faraway place, but apparently still popular in Fódlan.

It was the first spell most children learned, usually on an ocarina, and it moved small objects through the air. Things like books or, if they were a little prodigy, a full and heavy backpack. Using a spell on a living thing was… risky.

Claude, fortunately, could play this song in his sleep, but musicraft wasn't simple as hitting all the right notes. He had to keep perfect tempo and focus, otherwise the spell would fall apart—or worse. If he played in the wrong key, it could backfire altogether, sending the cat further away from him… Higher into the tree, on the roof of the greenhouse, or even into the lake.

Anyone could play an instrument, but willing music into magic took skill. Claude wasn't the greatest musician alive, but he was _pretty_ good—and when he graduated from the academy, he would be a maestro. That was the hope that brought him there, anyway.

After a couple measures, the spell began to work. Bright strands of light rose from his violin, up toward the high branches of the tree. He knew the cat would resist him, but he would make it work. Make the spell strong enough.

"C'mon, kitten," Claude whispered through gritted teeth. "Make this easy for me."

The spell curled around the cat, gently coaxing it into his grasp. But it raised the hair on its spine and revealed its fangs, hissing.

Claude pursed his lips and his stomach clenched in frustration. He was just a little off. _Of course_, he thought, _as if I'm not gonna be late already._

It would take a miracle to get to class on time. His coat was still hanging on the clothesline, stubbornly damp. His sheet notes were _somewhere_ in his room, but only the Goddess could say where exactly. He still hadn't eaten breakfast yet… And now, Ashe Ubert had kindly roped him into saving this hissing, squirming cat from itself.

Claude tried to put his mind at ease again. _Nothing to worry about. Teach'll have mercy on me,_ he convinced himself. The new teacher looked pretty and fresh, not the type to give out detentions on her first day.

If he was lucky, Teach would be even later than he was. Or not even show up at all, like the last guy.

Beside him, Ashe stood with an anxious look on his face, looking to the cat above. "Poor thing…" he said in a soft voice.

Claude didn't know Ashe well, but the boy must've had the most innocent face in the monastery. But the fact that Ashe was a violin player, too, is what had Claude's attention—Ashe wasn't very confident, but Claude saw he had potential. Potential that could be nurtured if he joined the Golden Deer house.

Claude directed his attention back to the cat, trying to regain focus. This would be a quick if he did it right the first time. As he played, he straightened up further.

After another good measure, the spell strengthened. The cat didn't look happy, but its anger washed away as the charm spell gradually lifted it from the tree branch. Claude gave the song all he had, perfecting it, as the cat began to lower towered him.

He smiled, eyes locked on his target. "There we go."

With his violin glued to his skin, he didn't dare to play a single beat off. It took another full repetition of the melody to get the cat just a few feet above Ashe.

Finally, Claude raised an eyebrow at Ashe. "Ready to catch it?" he asked.

Before Ashe could respond properly, Claude ended the song with a long, high note. As he withdrew his bow, the cat dropped into the Ashe's arms open in a rush that threw the boy back toward the greenhouse. _Better than falling into the lake,_ Claude supposed.

Ashe pet the cat, soothing it, then looked up to Claude with a smile. The boy bowed and thanked him dearly and released the cat from his arms.

It was worth being a little late.

* * *

— **Fódlan Winds (Take 1) —**

* * *

Byleth couldn't believe how nervous she was for her first day of class. Performing didn't frighten her, even in front of a large crowd, but teaching… Well, she still considered herself a student. And the gold maestro pin on her chest didn't change that.

The double doors to the Golden Deer house were slightly ajar and her heels clicked on the stones leading to them. She looked to her reflection in the window, straightening her posture. At this point, she was so late that there was no point in rushing in.

Her usual outfit was replaced with soft, black fabric and a cape that flowed to the back of her knees. The academy uniform was covered in little tassels and silver embroideries—which looked fine, but she preferred her expressive floral tights.

Inside the classroom, she could hear the students chatting. They were self-seperated into groups, it seemed, with many conversations going at once. One of the girls was giggling and talking lively. "It doesn't seem very likely to me," she said.

Claude responded, his voice immediately recognizable. "What's unlikely about it? She met the three of us and she _adored_ me. Perfectly plausible."

In that moment, Byleth realized her father was right. These kids were going to be a piece of work.

Byleth sucked in a breath and squeezed herself and her flute case through the doors. Before opening her eyes, she exhaled. Then she lifted the flute case up to her stomach, both hands latched onto the handle, and looked at the wide eyes of the students—_her_ students.

"Good morning," Byleth finally said, looking to each of them. "I'm your new homeroom teacher."

* * *

Though she'd met most of the students while roaming the monastery, Byleth asked each of them introduce themselves again, along with their instruments.

Since this was the third time that Claude introduced himself to her, he didn't take it seriously at all. "You may call me Lord Claude von Riegan," he said with a stiff voice, then played a flourish of quick notes on his violin. He gave Byleth a wink. "I believe we've met."

Hilda introduced herself next. She seemed like a little girl and a young lady all at once. Her greeting finished with a courtesy, and then she pointed across the room with her bow. "Oh, and that's my cello," she said.

Byleth turned to it and smiled slightly. The cello was propped up on a stand, and the little pink stickers on it clearly showed who it belonged to.

"Marianne," Hilda said, alerting the girl next to her. "Why don't you introduce yourself next?"

"You mean me?" Marianne asked in a hushed voice.

Byleth turned to the shy girl expectantly, but that only seemed to make her shrink further. Hilda gave her an encouraging pat on the shoulder.

"Um…" Marianne stood from the chair, her hands shaking. "I guess that I… I play the flute," she sputtered.

Claude flashed a grin, then cocked his head to Byleth. "Teach plays the flute as well," he said. The boy was tipping back his chair so far that he might just fall. "Beautifully, of course."

Marianne looked pale, dread written on her face. "I'm sorry," she choked out, shaking her head. "I don't really know how to play anything else."

"No, I'd like you to play your flute," Byleth tried to assure the girl, wishing she could reach out. "I'll certainly be able to help you improve."

Marianne didn't look relieved. "But you…"

"I think the professor is capable of playing other instruments," Ignatz said to her in the most gentle voice he could muster. "Isn't that right, Professor?"

Byleth nodded, but avoided speaking any further about herself. The students' introductions needed to come before curiosities or criticisms about her musicianship. Byleth looked to Lorenz next, knowing he was eager for his turn.

Lorenz rose from his seat and began playing a tune from his French horn _before_ saying his name. At the end of the tune, Claude clapped mockingly, and Lorenz told Byleth his full name and an equally full description of his breeding and background. "You will want to remember me, Miss."

Next was Raphael—he introduced himself as a drummer, but assured Byleth that he was comfortable with any percussion instrument she could throw at him. Apparently, he considered himself a jack-of-all-trades.

Lysithea said her name and played a few controlled notes on her clarinet. The girl seemed especially self-motivated. "Please provide me with most challenging assignments, Professor."

Ignatz was humble, telling her his name and background as briefly as he could, then he took out his viola and played a few disjointed notes. He ended with a bow.

"Fódlan Winds is one of my favorite songs," Ignatz admitted before sitting back down. "Your father composed it, didn't he? Maestro Jeralt Eisner…"

Before she could answer, Leonie jumped out of her seat and answered for her. "Everyone knows who Jeralt is," she said quickly. "He is a peerless composer, and the most notable maestro the Church of Seiros has ever had. And he's the reason I learned to play the bassoon."

At first, Byleth didn't know to say—these children had incredibly high expectations of her. She tried an impish smile, but she couldn't manage to keep it on her face. "You're exaggerating a bit," she said.

Leonie narrowed her brows. "Well, it doesn't matter what _you_ think. Maybe you shouldn't rely on your father's reputation if you think so lowly of it."

Hilda stood up, her eyes slightly wide. "Professor," she started, quelling the argument. "I think Leonie means that we shouldn't assume you're special just because of your lineage." Before Leonie could clarify herself further, Hilda continued. "Why don't you play something to show us what you've got, Professor? That could be fun."

"Hilda, that is an _excellent_ idea," Claude said, then he looked to Byleth. "What do you say, Teach? I think we'd love a little performance."

At the front and center of the room, there was a black, glossy upright piano. It stood in the light of the window and faced the students. Byleth looked to it, then walked over and lifted the fallboard. Just above the keys, a gold engraving said '_Property of The Garreg Mach Academy of Musicraft_' in a classy script.

When she asked the class what song they wanted to hear her play, she already knew what the answer would be: "Fódlan Winds," a few said, nearly in unison.

Byleth nodded her head. "Does anyone know what that spell does?"

The class was silent for a moment longer than expected, and Claude furrowed his brows at the question. "Is that a trick question? I think we all know it's a wind spell—or more like a breeze spell, depending on the composition," he said. "It's elemental."

"Right, I've seen my brother play it with the Leicester Alliance Orchestra," added Hilda. "The wind can grow so strong that it can break windows."

"That's correct," Byleth smiled slightly. "Hilda, you must know what else it can do when it's powerful enough."

Hilda hesitated, but answered nonetheless—she was in the spotlight now. "It… can break a magic barrier?"

"Very good. It can magic barriers created by other instruments."

Most commoners had never seen an orchestra play Fódlan Winds, only a lone musician or perhaps a quartet. Enough to create a strong breeze at best. Nobles and knights, however, had close ties to orchestras, either by being in the audience or part of the orchestra itself. They knew the raw power of musicraft well.

Byleth walked to her desk and shuffled through a pile of sheet notes, all inked by her own hand, some messy and some clean. Toward the top of the pile, there was a very familiar piano arrangement of Fódlan Winds. Coffee stains and fingerprints indicated just how well she loved it. She placed the rest of her sheet notes in a drawer and locked it with a key.

When she sat at the stool in front of the piano, Lorenz looked concerned. He raised a hand. "Ah, Professor? Shouldn't we create a barrier to contain the spell?"

Byleth shook her head. "This will only make a breeze," she said to the class. "Though I would secure any of your loose papers."

Her students shuffled around, putting papers and other small things into their bags. Leonie stuck a pen behind her ear. Claude placed a couple small books on the floor and smothered them with his boot.

Byleth pinned her sheet notes down—she usually wouldn't need them for this song, but her nerves were still rattled.

She tested the waters by pressing a few keys together and the class fell absolutely silent. The piano felt brand new. Byleth got comfortable in her chair, scooting a bit, and then began to play a dramatic rush of notes.

The melody that filled the room was rich. Byleth soon felt the faintest breeze moving strands of her hair, kissing her nose and cheeks as the spell picked up. Her nervousness fall away, and she found herself looking between her notes and her students.

Hilda giggled, her pigtails swaying with the gentle wind and eyes closed as she listened. Marianne looked relieved, probably feeling safe with the spotlight focused on the teacher instead of herself. Claude had a relaxed smile, his eyes half-lidded—and she could've sworn she heard him ever so softly hum the countermelody.

When Byleth focused her mind and willed the breeze in the opposite direction, a few students laughed, surprised. Her face felt soft, like her eyes were warm and she could smile in earnest. She shut her eyes and felt the wind on her face as she played.

She decided that this would be her first lesson—together, she would teach them how to make a gentle breeze.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hello! I've finally come back with another fic. Finally. I'm hoping to fit some Byleth and Claude in here while touching on all the Golden Deer characters and major plot points of part one. A few characters from the Blue Lions and Black Eagles will probably join the class, too.

A very important note: This unique magic system is lifted directly from The Mystwick School of Musicraft, a middle-grade book that is one of my favorites ever. It's not necessary to have read it and I won't spoil anything. I just thought it would be fun to use musicraft in Fire Emblem: Three Houses… I suppose this is a sort of crossover?

And one last thing—with exception of the prologue, all the songs referenced in this fic will be from the soundtrack... So, they should all be familiar!


End file.
